


Snap

by merinxD



Category: Free!
Genre: Cuties, Drabble, M/M, example on a tumblr ask, makoharu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-13
Updated: 2013-11-13
Packaged: 2018-01-01 09:14:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1043075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merinxD/pseuds/merinxD
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They've always fought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snap

**Author's Note:**

> This is a drabble that happened when someone asked me about my opinion on makoharu fighting on a blog that I co-admin, marukaprompts.
> 
> Proofed by - anilinsan.tumblr.com

The atmosphere has been tense for weeks and Haru is at the end of his rope. He isn’t sure what’s going on, but the aura surrounding his best friend has been growing tighter, more distant. It’s making him crazy. Initially, hanging with Rin and spending time submerged in water helped him relax and forget about it, but it’s come into the third week of this  _thing_  and nothing can take his mind off it. 

Makoto is angry with him and every time Haru tries to find out why, he fails. It would help if he could talk about it, but he can’t. He has been trying to catch Makoto’s eyes, to reach for his hand…He’s always  _just_  too far off. 

This hasn’t happened before. When they were kids, Haru would snap at him and Makoto would accept it. The other children would fight and hold grudges, but they were different. Makoto would be a busy body and Haru would reply accordingly. They were bickering every ten minutes and then it was over like it never happened in the first place. After they grew closer it slowed down, but they still fought a lot, about  _everything_. In the end, Haru got used to Makoto’s nosy presence and found that he missed him when he wasn’t there. Makoto’s sneaky smile could take away his anger in a second and it wasn’t fair.

It’s  _really_  not fair because Haru wants that now. He wants to bicker when they are sitting in Makoto’s room and forget about it in the next second. He wants things to be normal. Haru can’t enjoy the water like this. 

Makoto has done something to him because he feels like he’s going to explode. He hasn’t talked to his best friend in ages and he’s sick of this overly polite Makoto. Whoever he is, he needs to go and give Haru his friend back.  

It’s irritating and the frustration of the past couple of weeks has bubbled into anger. He hasn’t done anything wrong! Makoto has no reason to avoid him.

So why is he doing it?

_Why?_

A heavy sigh leaves his lips as he rises from the water to stand in the middle of the tub. He’s dripping wet and wearing his jammers but he doesn’t care. Haru steps onto the mat and once his feet are dry enough, he’s off. 

He takes the back way and is determined to talk to Makoto. No one is at home tonight and Haru knows it.

Before this happened, Makoto would have invited him over. So why hasn’t he?

Has Makoto made another friend? A girl maybe?

He scowls, reaching the back entrance to the Tachibana residence. He doesn’t like that idea at all. He also doesn’t care for decorum because the door is opened with the hide-a-key and he’s walking inside. The steps are quick to climb and he glares at Makoto’s door. The sound of the TV filters through and he can’t hear any voices. 

It doesn’t mean that Makoto is alone, however… 

The door rips open with no pretense of common decency and Haru surveys the area in silence, unmoving. There is no new friend or girl. It’s just Makoto sitting on the bed, looking glum. 

"Haru!" Makoto exclaims. He looks surprised and rather normal for a second. It’s the first time that he has met his gaze in over a week. "You’re - You’re wet!" He continues, grappling to stand; the game is paused in the same movement and he steps forward quickly. 

But then he stops. Makoto’s excitement falls away and he suddenly looks terrified and Haru hates it. He knows that it’s because of him and it’s not supposed to happen. It doesn’t make any sense at all. Makoto shouldn’t be scared of him. 

"You’re ignoring me." Haru says, flat and icy. His chest feels tight and he isn’t sure what’s happening to him. 

"Don’t be ridiculous." Makoto replies, trying to sound normal. His eyes betray him as he looks to the ground, at anything that isn’t Haru. 

“ _Don’t lie_.” Haru states. He steps into the room and Makoto moves backward, further away. 

"I’m not." Makoto tries, looking up. His eyes don’t reach Haru’s face and sit somewhere near his ear. He seems nervous. It’s not supposed to be this way!

“Then look at me.” 

Makoto doesn’t. He actually looks further away and Haru’s chest pangs again. 

"Stop it. You’re being weird." Haru orders petulantly but deep at the same time. He has never been one to yell when enraged, though he is loud. This isn’t like being refused the right to swim or having to eat something that Makoto thinks will be good for him or any number of troublesome things he has to deal with. 

Haru gets a reaction as Makoto’s eyes widen and he stammers out, “It’s not me! I just…thought you’d want some space.” 

“ _Why_?” 

"Because of…" Makoto starts loudly and unthinkingly. His voice cuts off, though, and Haru sees the cogs in his brain working behind his concentrated eyes. He sighs and it sounds defeated as he finally meets Haru’s gaze. His green are watery and Makoto looks beyond emotional. "Because of Rin." He says brokenly. 

Azure narrow. Makoto isn’t making any sense and it’s becoming harder to breathe by the second. 

“What about him?” 

"You went to the movies and the pool and all those other places together so I thought I’d give you some space,  _okay_?!” Makoto exclaims. He’s unable to keep his calm and his words are quick and defensive. 

"You could have come, too." Haru crosses his arms, his jaw is set and gaze focused. Makoto reminds him of a frightened angered animal and it doesn’t help the strange things going on inside of his body. 

It’s not his fault that Makoto said that he was busy. 

"I was busy." Makoto lies quickly and they both know that he wasn’t. 

“ _No_. You weren’t.” Haru fires back.  

There’s barely a beat of a pause and then Makoto’s fists are clenching; or maybe they were like that the whole time. He is unable to restrain himself and its the most truthful that Haru has seen him in a while. He’s able to breathe for that one moment and then Makoto is speaking and he doesn’t understand. 

"Did you ever think that I didn’t want to come?!" He steps forward and Haru keeps his ground determinedly. 

"I can’t do it, Haru! I tried and I can’t and this is all so wrong, but I just can’t!” He yells like a broken record. 

Haru’s confusion must relay because Makoto keeps going. It’s like Haru has pressed a switch with no pause button. 

"I can’t watch you with him! You’re my best friends and I should be happy for you. I am happy for you and I love you both, but I _really_  love Haru and I know that you don’t feel the same. So  _please_ , just…just… **stay away from me**!”

…

…

Haru’s breath catches.

"What did you say?" He finally asks, moving closer. Makoto is shaking when Haru’s hand falls upon his shoulder and his friend flinches. 

"Stay away from me." Makoto whispers. The tears have escaped, but he doesn’t try to hide it. He stares down at the ground and Haru is finally able to see that Makoto’s a mess like him. 

"No, the other thing." 

Makoto stiffens, but his head moves slowly so that their eyes can meet. There’s a tense silence and Haru can hear his heart beating in his ears. 

"I love Haru." Makoto states plainly and softly. "I’m in love with you." 

Makoto goes to turn away with a pained expression, but Haru’s hand upon his shoulder keeps him steady. He won’t let him go. 

"Is that all?" Haru asks. He must be insane because he feels relief and something that might be happiness. His chest no longer feels like it’s going to tear him into pieces and there has never been anything more relaxing than Makoto’s green eyes. 

"What do you mean, ‘is that all’? Haru, I don’t think you understand what-"

"I understand." Haru cuts him off weightily. "It’s a stupid reason to act like this. Don’t do it anymore." 

"What?" 

Haru’s eyes narrow. “I’m not with Rin or anyone. There’s only Makoto.” 

His friend doesn’t reply and it’s a confused silence. 

"Don’t do it again." Haru impresses angrily. He feels like he’s about to snap so it must be a good sign. 

"Do…Do you feel the same way?" Makoto questions, forcing the stoic teen to glance to the side and retract his hand. 

"Don’t do it again." Haru commands once more, still refusing to look. 

There’s a beaming smile that he can see from the corner of his eye and suddenly Makoto is hugging him. It seems like his friend has read between the lines and that everything is going to be fine. 

"Get off, idiot." He says in embarrassment and Makoto complies, still smiling broadly. 

It takes a moment or two for the tension to settle and Haru finds that he’s smiling also. He didn’t say it, but he’s pretty sure that Makoto knows how he feels now.

"Haru, you’re going to catch a cold." Makoto scolds after a moment.

"Whose fault is that?!" Haru fires back and the relief that he feels at being able to snap at Makoto is almost overwhelming.

He frowns, but on the inside he is happy. 

They both know it; their eyes say so.

Makoto goes to get him his towel and Haru breathes out a sigh. They can finally get back to fighting like normal.

"Here, Haru." Makoto appears, passing him the fluffy object. His expression is soft and happy. It’s what he should look like, but there is also a new feeling beneath it.

Haru’s ears begin to warm up at the sight. 

"I’m going for a bath." Haru states quickly, looking defiant while his heart flutters strangely. 

_Annoying._

Makoto’s eyes widen a fraction, but he doesn’t look surprised. There is no, ‘you just got here’, or an objection of any kind. Though he does say,

"You shouldn’t have one for too long, you’re already wet." Makoto gives him a pointed look. 

Haru glares. They both know its Makoto’s fault. He’ll take a bath for as long as he wants. 

His eyes say so and Makoto sighs in defeat, still smiling. 

"Okay, okay. Go on." He waves his hand in the direction of the washroom and Haru nods once. He exits the bedroom and successfully makes his way into the tiled room where he lets out a heavy relieving breath. His heart is beating fast and Makoto’s smile lingers in his mind. 

A knock sounds and Haru jolts, sliding the shoji open with a narrowed questioning expression. 

"You forgot something." Makoto grins loftily.

Haru doesn’t have time to even form a reply (or a scowl) before Makoto leans in and presses a kiss to his cheek. He pulls back blushingly and Haru’s eyes widen in realisation. 

"Idiot!" He exclaims, gripping his cheek and slamming the door in Makoto’s face. His heart might jump out of his chest at any moment and Haru is bright red. A traitorous smile threatens to break free and it does when he finally hears Makoto’s laugh on the other side of the door. 

"Have a nice bath, Haru." 

Damn Makoto. It hasn’t even been five minutes and his confidence has returned.

But as Haru turns the water on, still redder than anything, he’s sort of happy about it. 

Secretly.

 


End file.
